It was X Years Ago Today ....

On this date - March 27 back in the home country - x number of years ago, Zexiv graduated from high school. At that time he considered it the happiest, most exciting, and most memorable day of his life. This is not exactly an unusual way for an 18 year old male to think - back in the home country, even today, someone in their late teens is practically speaking, still a kid. It is uncommon to hear of one doing something significant at that age like getting married, moving into their own apartment, going off to battle, or climbing Mount Everest - at least back where Zexiv is from. Kids there generally tend to grow up and become independent at a much slower pace compared to their counterparts in certain parts of the western world.

To someone who spent much of his time in class daydreaming, however it was a most extraordinary feat. Throughout much of his high school life, and except for subjects which he really enjoyed such as English, Music, and Art, Zexiv would find his mind drifting off and he would often imagine he was somewhere else doing something much more interesting (at times he imagined he was a member of a rock band), or else he would find himself doing something completely unrelated, like browsing for sections in his history book about the Japanese Occupation during a math class. He also had this rebellious attitude about things like homework. As a result, he spent a number of summers in school catching up and doing the work he was supposed to have done during the year. One year it was the native language subject, followed by Algebra, and then Chemistry. During his senior year in high school his problem was that tiresome native language subject again, and he was fortunate to have this kind classmate and friend, who lived not far from him, who was determined that Zexiv would do well in all his quizzes in that subject in the last quarter of the year, and reviewed him instensively before each one. It worked, and Zexiv remembers being really ecstatic on seeing his name on the list of students who were qualified to graduate that year. He remembers calling his father to give him the good news and then telling his mother who was with him, to go on ahead home, so he could go out with his classmates that night to celebrate ( he remembers having a lot of beers in this place in Greenhills).

The next 2 weeks or so were a blur full of more celebrations and drinking sessions, a trip to the tailor to have a barong (formal shirt) made for the graduation, and a fund raising show his class came out with for the benefit of the high school scholarship fund. He remembers the class dedicating the show to their homeroom teacher, who sadly just recently passed on.

Unfortunately, much as he tries to rack his brains today, there is not much he can remember about graduation day itself. He remembers the date of course, and that it was held in the covered courts of the high school, and bumping into Reader in the sidelines that night, but he cannot remember anything else about the ceremony itself. What comes to mind much easier is what happened afterwards; the 4th year class marching to their respective classrooms, seeing some of his classmates being congratulated by one of their teachers, who hesitantly shook Zexiv's hand but did not smile, and later on, being approached by a former 2nd year science teacher (sadly also no longer alive) - one of Zexiv's favorites because he was probably the only teacher in the high school who lifted weights- who was a lot warmer with his congratulations and seemed sincerely happy about this significant accomplishment of Zexiv's. He also remembers seeing a family friend of theirs then, a cute girl at that time, who also wished Zexiv well, and bumping into the principal on the way to out front who shook Zexiv's hand, addressed him by his name and told him not to "sleep in class anymore".

Later that evening the family went out to celebrate (Zexiv thinks it was this Japanese restaurant Kimpura, which was a favorite of theirs at that time), and Zexiv afterwards joined a number of his classmates for a post graduation celebration at this Mexican style pub (then very popular at that time) called Jalisco. He remembers his mother lending him her expensive camera, which was a Canon, for the evening, confident that he would take good care of it, and giving him a quick crash course, basically on how to turn it on, how to focus, and how to zoom. Zexiv took this together with his yearbook which he had his classmates who were at the pub that night sign and write dedications on. He still remembers quite vividly the classmates who were there that night, and has pictures (which came out not too bad, considering the amount of alcohol that was consumed that night) from the evening stored in an album somewhere back in the home country. He promises to post these someday, if he can find them.

Many years later, today, Zexiv realizes that while it is probably not the most memorable day - after all, how can something you can't even remember that well be that - it is still counts as one of the happiest and most exciting days of his life, among a list of now many new others.

P.S. Zexiv is thinking of going to the home country this December for a major milestone class reunion. It should a very interesting experience. He wonders if members of the original Chum Family or his Air Police squadron (i.e. this means you, Reader!) will be there ...

The Fall of Grayloft

11 March 2008 is a day that will forever be ingrained in my memory ...

On that day - a Tuesday - we were treacherously attacked by hordes of marauding Toyanese. The members of the crew, Zexiv, Puff, Mademoiselle Marie, Percival Piper and myself, put up a courageous and impressive defense, but our small arms fire was no match for the enemy's mechanized artillery and paratroopers, and in the end, Camp Grayloft fell in the wee hours the following morning by sheer force of numbers and superior firepower.

It started the night before with a routine reconnaisance flight by Piper over the upper level of the camp. An expedition that had been made more than a year ago had turned up no trace of the elusive Toyanese but a number of disturbing signs - abandoned campsites, booby traps, and evidence of prior habitation, followed later by cryptic messages received by the camp's radio. Worried that the camp could not be effectively defended from attack from above, Zexiv had at the beginning of the year ordered regular foot patrols and daily flights over the camp, strengthened the perimeter defenses, and came up with an evacuation plan. All had been uneventful ... until that fateful day, when everything seemed to happen all at once.

Pipers flight had been delayed and I was scanning the dark sky for signs of his battered but trusty Gypsy Moth, when I heard a drone of an approaching aircraft. It seemed to be coming down faster than usual, and part of the plane seemed to be lit up, with a plume of thick black smoke casting a lengthy tail behind it. There was no time to alert the others. I ran to the runway, grabbing a fire extinguisher on the way and expecting the worst. Piper somehow managed to bring his flaming crate down in one piece, after which the landing gear collapsed, and the plane settled on its nose. I could see as I came close that the plane was covered with holes. I saw a figure making its way out of the thick smoke. Piper was alive but understably shaken and highly excited. It took a while before I could finally make out what he was saying as I led him to a safe distance from the burning aircraft ... "Toyanese ... attacked ... flak ...forces approaching ... alert others ... ".

By this time other members of the crew had arrived and a grim faced Zexiv listened while Piper quickly told us how he had started making his usual passes over the upper level when he thought he noticed movement below ... it was a dark moonless night and it was difficult to make out anything on the ground so on the second pass he lit a flare - and sat up in surprise. The ground was alive with a number of tank and transported artillery moving ahead with infantry following close behind. Quickly ascending, he was picking up his radio when he felt his plane lurch violently. The sky quickly lit up with sounds of anti-aircraft fire and Piper sped back to camp.

The next few moments were a blur as Zexiv barked out orders and we assumed defensive positions. The attack came not long after with an extended artillery barage followed by bands of paratroopers falling out of the sky. The tanks and infantry followed not long afterwards.

The battle lasted several hours. In the early hours of Wednesday, when it looked the camp was in danger of being overrun, Zexiv ordered an organized retreat, and under cover of the sub's powerful deck gun and shielded by thick smoke we were able to escape to our vessel, having destroyed important records and left behind all non-essential gear. The camp was complately destroyed, but everyone had made it out safely. As we steamed out to sea my last sight was of flames and twisted metal where the camp had been. At last we descended to the cold murky depths.

Our beloved camp, gone! I found it hard to imagine that almost a month ago, we had celebrated Zexiv's birthday, and had been visited by Zexiv's sister Grasshopper. It had been a very memorable birthday for him, and I remembered how we all made the trip to Grouse Mountain to spend the day there. I wondered what he was thinking of now as he stood behind the wheel, with his back to the rest of the crew. Slowly he turned around, and I could see he had a steaming giant mug of coffee in his hand, like it was just an ordinary morning back in Grayloft.

"Stingray", he said slowly. "send a report to MCPO Maurice, Grasshopper, TNTD, and Reader and inform of latest developments". He closed his eyes and slowly sipped his coffee, finally setting it down, his eyes opening again and meeting mine. "And set a course for north ... Burard Inlet".

To be continued ...